KLPGA: 2009 KB Star Tour Grand Finale Rd 4

For three rounds, teen amateur star Hana Jang held onto a slim lead in the KLPGA’s final Major tournament, the KB Star Tour Grand Finale. She managed this feat despite being hotly trailed by the top player on the KLPGA tour, Hee Kyung Seo. During the fourth round, the two would be matched together for the second straight day, and Jang would once again have to use all her skills to try to hold off the professional star.

Jang and Seo

Meanwhile, the top money earner on the KLPGA, So Yeon Ryu, had worked her way to third on the leaderboard, but she would have to make up five shots to claim her first Major title.

For Ryu, that Major would have to wait until another day. She played well on the day, carding a 2 under 70, but it would not be nearly enough to catch the leaders. In the end she finished a respectable tied for fourth with another KLPGA star, Ha Neul Kim, who shot a 66 to arrive at that score.

So Yeon Ryu

This event was responsible last year for settling the Rookie of the Year race. Coming into this event in 2008, So Yeon Ryu held a slim lead over He Yong Choi in that race, but Ryu was DQed following a rules infraction and Choi shot a blistering 64 on the final day to finish second. Choi overtook Ryu in the ROY standings and went on to win that title.

This year, the Rookie race has featured several interesting players, but the most notable have been Soo Jin Yang, a 17 year old powerhouse, and teenage Shin Ae Ahn. Ahn was well ahead of Yang going into the final round, but struggled to a 74 on this day. Meanwhile, Yang produced the round of the day, a blistering 65, and finished tied for tenth. Will this be the round that determines who wins the Rookie prize this year? Stay tuned.

The tournament title, meanwhile, came down to Jang and Seo, much as it had looked like it would. Seo gave Jang something to think about by starting her round with three straight birdies to take a two shot lead right out of the gate. The lead stayed that way through the first nine holes.

Hee Kyung Seo

Jang moved to within one shot with a birdie on ten, but immediately bogied 11 to give it back. Neither player made any more progress until the 16th hole. There, Jang drained a birdie, and left Seo facing a tricky par save to maintain her share of the lead. Alas, Seo missed it, and the two shot swing gave Jang a share of the lead for the first time since the start of the day.

Hana Jang

But true champions find a way, and on the next hole Seo drained a birdie putt to once again take the lead by a shot. Both players parred 18, and Hee Kyung Seo claimed her third Major title of the year. Jang would have to settle for her second top three in the past two Majors, an amazing accomplishment for an amateur.

Hee Kyung Seo

Congratulations to Hee Kyung Seo on claiming her fourth win of the year. She now is the inside favorite for Player of the Year and money list winner, and may still have some more records to set before the year is out!